Vista message 'access denied' when connecting to an XP printer

[RonMMcCormick]

Hi folks, I have a fun problem, and am about to yank out the rest of my hair,
maybe someone here can help (prevent that)....please!

Home network, using 1 XP desktop, 1 XP laptop, 1 Vista desktop. the XP
desktop has 2 printers attached, the XP laptop can see and print to either
printer, the Vista desktop can 'see' the printers from the 'network' icon,
but not when trying to print to or to connect or to them. Anytime one of
them is double clicked vista reports in one window "connecting to....." and
immedeatly another window pops up "windows cannot connect to the printer,
access is denied". Note at no other time can vista see the printers, and they
do not show from any 'add new printer' windows. File and printer sharing is
on, workgroup, domains, all working properly for everything except PRINTING.

 

[Chuck [MVP]]

Hi folks, I have a fun problem, and am about to yank out the rest of my hair,
maybe someone here can help (prevent that)....please!

Home network, using 1 XP desktop, 1 XP laptop, 1 Vista desktop. the XP
desktop has 2 printers attached, the XP laptop can see and print to either
printer, the Vista desktop can 'see' the printers from the 'network' icon,
but not when trying to print to or to connect or to them. Anytime one of
them is double clicked vista reports in one window "connecting to....." and
immedeatly another window pops up "windows cannot connect to the printer,
access is denied". Note at no other time can vista see the printers, and they
do not show from any 'add new printer' windows. File and printer sharing is
on, workgroup, domains, all working properly for everything except PRINTING.

Can you get file sharing working with the XP desktop as the server, and the
Vista desktop as the client? That's good to start with.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2007/05/file-sharing-and-printer-sharing-are.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2007/05/file-sharing-and-printer-sharing-are.html

You could try a workaround of using the printers UNC path directly.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2007/06/network-printing-from-windows-vista.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2007/06/network-printing-from-windows-vista.html

--
Cheers,
Chuck, MS-MVP 2005-2007 [Windows - Networking]
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/
Paranoia is not a problem, when it's a normal response from experience.
My email is AT DOT
actual address pchuck mvps org.

 

[techmom]

I had the same problem. The trick is to set up the printer on Vista as a
local (not a network) printer. First go to the XP computer that the printer
is connected to and write down the exact computer name (not computer
description) for the desktop. Then look up the print sharing name (under
sharing tab on properties) for the printer. Then "add a Printer" on the
vista machine, select local printer, local port, and enter
\\computername\printer (substituting the names you wrote down in step one).
That solved my problem. Hope it helps.

 

[Robert L. \(MS-MVP\)]

Thank you for the tip.

--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com

 

[hawaiird]

techmom is right on. It fixed my probelm also. Aloha

 

[Livemeyer]

Techmom and Patrick C have it nailed. Worked for me. Such a simple
solution, but if you ask me, Microsoft got it ass backwards on this one. Too
many techies trying to make this complicated. Best solution is the simplest
one, yet again!

 

[elias]

I had the same problem. The trick is to set up the printer on Vista as a
local (not a network) printer. First go to the XP computer that the printer
is connected to and write down the exact computer name (not computer
description) for the desktop. Then look up the print sharing name (under
sharing tab on properties) for the printer. Then "add a Printer" on the
vista machine, select local printer, local port, and enter
\\computername\printer (substituting the names you wrote down in step one).
That solved my problem. Hope it helps.

 

[elias]

I tried to follow your tips, but It did not accept \\ and \.
So how can I enter \\computer name\printer ?

Thanks,